The Best Tick Control For Maryland Properties
10/01/2021
In Maryland, we have some of the most enjoyable weather (for most of the year) for playing out in the yard and enjoying time with our pets. Unfortu...
READ MORE >
There are many bugs that are considered beneficial. Bees play an important role in the pollination of food products. Without their assistance, some experts believe that all life on earth would be in danger of extinction. Asian lady beetles are so beneficial, the Department of Agriculture brought them here to help protect our crops from other destructive insects. Spiders and bats play a big role in the control of virus-carrying mosquitoes. But bees, Asian lady beetles, spiders, bats, and other creatures that have benefits can also be pests. Bees can sting, and a bee sting can be deadly for people who are allergic to their venom. Asian lady beetles leave the crop field in fall and become residential pests. Some spiders bite and the venom of certain spiders can cause serious wounds. Bats are a prominent threat for the rabies virus, which causes death if not treated early. What about ticks? You are no doubt aware that ticks can spread harmful diseases but do they have benefits? Can it be a good thing to have ticks around your Maryland home? We're sorry to say that there are no benefits to having ticks around your home. But since you're here. Let's talk about the dangers.
When wild animals bring ticks into your yard and deposit them near your home, they put you, your family, and your pets at risk. These arachnids can carry a long list of diseases. Which diseases a tick can carry depends entirely on the tick in question, though there are some diseases that are spread by more than one species of tick.
TICK SPECIES
American Dog Tick — What can you expect from the tick that bears the name of our country? These ticks prefer to feed on canines but will readily feed on humans. When they do, they present a threat for Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, and tick paralysis.
Blacklegged Tick — This species of tick is also referred to as a deer tick because of its preference for white-tailed deer. It has earned notoriety in the last decade due to its strong connection to the spread of Lyme disease. But Lyme isn't the only disease spread by blacklegged ticks. They are common vectors for babesiosis, Powassan disease, and anaplasmosis.
Lone Star Tick — This species of tick gets its name from the tiny white dot on its back. It is known for appearing in large populations, sometimes hundreds of ticks in one location. This can be a serious problem because the Lone Star tick is linked to ehrlichiosis, Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), tularemia, and meat allergy.
Brown Dog Tick — This tick species is a unique threat because it is the only species that completes its entire life cycle indoors. While it prefers to feed on dogs and rarely feeds on humans, it will move to humans when numbers grow within a home. This puts everyone in the home at risk for Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
TICK-BORNE DISEASES
The diseases listed above are by no means the only diseases spread by each of these tick species. The diseases we mentioned are considered to be a greater threat for the ticks they are listed with. Several diseases can be spread by more than one species of tick.
The scary nature of tick-borne diseases is that several can be deadly and a select few have the ability to lead to chronic debilitating diseases that can have lifelong implications. Lyme disease and meat allergy are two examples of this. Ask anyone who has either of these and they'll let you know in no uncertain terms that these are life-altering illnesses.
Tick Control
There are many ways to mitigate the threat of tick-borne diseases. Some of them you can employ:
Applying mosquito repellent to your legs before you go out for a nature walk can help prevent ticks from climbing up. It is important to note that ticks don't fall down from trees to get in your hair. They climb up.
- If you don't have mosquito repellent, it can help to tuck your pant legs into your socks.
- If you wear bright colors, it is easier to see ticks as they crawl up.
- When you go back inside, be sure to do a tick check. Catching and removing ticks early can prevent several tick-borne diseases.
For the greatest level of protection around your home, consider Mosquito & Tick Control from American Pest. With this preventative service, you can reduce ticks around your home to zero or near zero. This will go a long way toward protecting your family and your pets. Reach out to us today to schedule treatment for your Maryland home.
